Regional Planning
The Government revoked Regional Spatial Strategies on 6 July 2010. Much of the information on this page is now obsolete but this page will remain active until a new system is in place and for archive purposes. In the longer term the legal basis for Regional Strategies will be abolished through the "Localism Bill" that is being introduced in the current Parliamentary session.
The Government has also announced that they will replace existing Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) with Local enterprise partnerships, formed from councils and business. More details are expected in a White Paper, due in the summer, which will set out the Government's approach to sub-national growth. Legislation to abolish RDAs and enable local enterprise partnerships is expected to be introduced in the Autumn.
July 2010
There are a number of regional plans and regional bodies that play an important part in deciding what the East Midlands will look like in 20 years time.
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) or Regional Plan
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) or Regional Plan
Every region is required by law to produce a Regional Spatial Strategy which sets out how the region will develop over the next twenty years. Developed by the East Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA), it sets out the levels of housing and other development, how it will be spread around the region and how it will be delivered. The Regional Spatial Strategy sets a framework for all local development frameworks in the region. As such, it is of great significance to the future of the East Midlands.
The Final East Midlands Regional Plan was issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in March 2009. This followed a long and complex process involving several key stages.
- Stage 1: Identify the issues for a revision and prepare a project plan, including a statement ofpublic participation;
- Stage 2: Develop options and policies, taking account of assessed effects, and develop the draft revision;
- Stage 3: Publish and formally consult on the draft RSS revision;
- Stage 4: Examination-in-Public;
- Stage 5: Publication of the Panel Report;
- Stage 6: Consultation on the Secretary of State's proposed changes;
- Stage 7: Issue of revised RSS; and
- Stage 8: Implementation, monitoring and review.
CPRE supports many of the fundamental principles of the Final Regional Plan, including a policy to concentrate development in urban areas; to improve the quality of development; to promote the use of previously developed land; higher targets for affordable housing; and to promote walking, cycling and public transport as alternatives to car transport. However, we strongly oppose the imposition by Government of ever-higher housing numbers which we believe will place unsustainable demands on the East Midlands countryside, infrastructure and environment.
See the Downloads at the bottom of this page for:
CPRE's Briefing on the Panel Report, Feb 2008
CPRE's response to the Proposed Changes consultation, Oct 2008.
CPRE's response to the Sustainability Appraisal of the Proposed Changes, Oct 2008.
CPRE's Advanced Briefing on the Release of the Final Regional Plan, March 2009.
See also the CPRE Nottinghamshire Branch Stop the Madness campaign, in response to the Regional Plan, to protect Nottingham's Green Belt. You can also read a summary of CPRE Nottinghamshire's response to the Proposed changes to the RSS. (January 12 2009)
A "Partial Review" of the plan started the day the final plan was issued, focussing on housing, transport and climate change. The Options consultation ended in October 2009 while a draft revised Regional Plan was submitted to Government in March 2010. The Options Consultation considered housing options for the region post 2021 and proposed substantially higher housing numbers for the region. CPRE's response called for through testing of the housing numbers and the need to take account of envrironmental quality. See downloads below for CPRE's response to the Options Consultation, October 2009.
The Sub-National Review
The Sub-National Review was the previous Government's proposal to strengthen economic performance in the regions. This resulted in the abolition of the Regional Assembly in 2010 and the proposed development of a single Integrated Regional Strategy to replace the Regional Spatial Strategy and the Regional Economic Strategy. The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, announced in the Queen's Speech in December 2008 proposed that Regional Assemblies will be abolished by 2010 and responsibilities for regional planning will pass to the Regional Development Agencies and Local Authorities Leaders' Board. CPRE's main concern was that the bill gives regional planning an overriding economic focus rather than giving equal weight to environmental, economic and social issues, as at present. The plans for a single Integrated Regional Strategy and Leader's Board have been superceded by the new government's plans.
Annual monitoring report for the Regional Plan
The East Midlands Regional Assembly must prepare an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) by the end of February. The latest Annual Monitoring report monitors polices in the East Midlands Regional Plan and was published in February 2010.
East Midlands Regional Economic Strategy
‘A Flourishing Region' is the third East Midlands Regional Economic Strategy, coordinated by EMDA. It sets out EMDA's economic aspirations and vision for the region to 2020.
East Midlands CPRE seeks to influence regional bodies policies and plans on behalf of the countryside and the wider environment.
The Government announced in its Sub-National Review significant changes to how regional governance will work in the future. Until that takes full effect in 2010 the main bodies we seek to influence are:
- East Midlands Regional Assembly (EMRA) which includes both elected members from local authorities and representatives of economic, social and environmental stakeholders. Environmental representatives, chosen by the East Midlands Environment Link, include Bettina Lange (CPRE East Midlands Regional Policy Officer) who represents EMEL on EMRA. The Assembly is responsible for preparing the Regional Spatial Strategy, for ensuring local plans and major development are in general conformity with that strategy and for scrutinizing EMDA.
- East Midlands Regional Development Agency (EMDA) which is responsible for economic development in the region and which prepares the critically important Regional Economic Strategy.
- Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) which represents Government in the East Midlands and contributes to the Government's decision on the Regional Spatial Strategy and other strategies as well as calling in contentious proposals for public inquiry.
- The East Midlands Environment Link (EMEL) is the voice of the non-governmental environment sector at the regional level in the East Midlands. CPRE is a full member of the group. The statutory environmental bodies in the region are associate members. CPRE works closely with sister organisations on EMEL, and represent EMEL on several regional committees.
- We also work closely with the East Midlands Rural Affairs Forum (EMRAF) a partnership network of organisations from the statutory, private and voluntary sector which champions rural interests in the region. CPRE is represented on EMRAF's Transport & Accessibility, and Rural Affordable Housing Practitioners sub-groups.
CPRE 2010
Downloads:
CPRE EMRG Briefing on the Panel Report, Feb 2008
(135 Kb)
CPRE EMRG Response to Proposed Changes Consultation, Oct 2008
(141 Kb)
CPRE EMRG Response to SA of Proposed Changes, Oct 2008
(60 Kb)
CPRE Advance Briefing on the Final Regional Plan, March 2009
(351 Kb)
CPRE Response to Partial Review Options Consultation, Oct 2009
(375 Kb)